An Italian girl and nothing more
by Myfairwendybird
Summary: Sometimes it takes more than a coronation to make you Queen. A lesson often taught to us by bitter enemies. A story about how the Italian girl they all called nothing became the Queen they feared most of all. Centred mostly around the relationship between Catherine and Diane there will be other characters featured, Henry obviously. Knowing me probably eventual Cathry
1. Chapter 1

_**Authors Note: **so this is just something random that came to me last night because I was doing this RP thing as Diane so I'm like why not write a fanfic with her just for no reason lol but I didn't want to mess up my other fics so now there's this haha. Idk where I'm going with it yet, I'll only really continue if you guys like it otherwise I won't bother. This story though is mostly about the Struggle between Catherine and Diane not just for Henry but like in general as well. Henry will obviously be in a lot if I continue and chances are I'll do Cathry eventually because they are my every happiness but yeah lol back to the point - sorry if you don't like my version of Diane, I'm making her a little..#psychocentral lol and I noe the way I'm portraying their relationship here may seem weird but like yeah in case it's unclear she's just doing it to get in Catherine's head and psych her out because in this story she's mega ambitious and wants the throne for herself_

Diane and Catherine had never really spoken before, it was still early in the Queen's marriage to Henry and neither had given him a son as yet. Diane was publicly recognised as Henry's mistress only recently but the blonde had known of her existence for quite some time. Trying for an heir had strained their marriage to the point of no return, the days of the two of them being young and in love with no care in the world were well and truly over. The King had turned to his mistress for comfort and an ego boost. _She made him feel like a man in ways his wife didn't know how_. Through no fault of her own of course, Catherine was still young, only 17 and in the midst of discovering herself; in all aspects. Where as Diane was almost 20 years older and stunningly beautiful, moving with a practiced grace and patience, she was wise in a certain kind of way and knew how to make a man feel like a King and a King feel like a God. As much as she despised her to the very core of her being, even Catherine couldn't deny the allure she had, her ever gesture screamed sexy and her eyes stayed solely on the king, _a fact she knew her husband revelled in._

Her Majesty's heart ached at seeing them together, so openly affectionate made her stomach churn, that should be her holding his hand, standing by his side. She loved him and for so long she was sure he loved her too, _why was he doing this to them?_ Why he insist on humiliating her in this way she would never understand.

She avoided Diane when she could, aside from the occasional hateful glare. Which of course only gained her an amused smirk in return. She was quite content to avoid them the rest of her life but unfortunately the fates had a different plan.

Catherine was on her way to visit Henry to discuss the few political matters she was able to discover information about, insistent on being a part of her court despite her husbands efforts to keep her excluded, when she caught sight of Diane ordering workers around the rooms that were once her own. Unable to quell her curiosity she went to have a further look to find they were ripping the tiles off of the floor.

"_What the hell are you doing?!_" The Queen asked as she entered the room, causing all the servants to stop their work

"None of your concern" Diane answered with a dismissive flick of her wrist, not even bothering to glance over at her lovers wife as she motioned for the tilers to get back to work.

"I am Queen. I have the right to know what happens in my court now, answer my question" demanded firmly.

With an irritated sigh the Kings official mistress walked over with a design swatch to show the Queen. "I am personalising my new rooms. The new tiles shall have an interlocking 'D' and 'H' to represent Henry and I and our unbreakable bond." She explained happily, not an ounce of sensitivity to the fact that it was the first initial of Catherine's husband she was setting in stone with her own. "Don't worry your majesty, the King has approved the changes he loves the idea" she added cruelly after a few moments had passed and the Queen was still at a loss for words at the sight before her; _would this torture never end? _

Not wanting to spend another second in this soon to be contaminated room and having got what she wanted Catherine turned to leave but not before muttering a passing '_endearment_' under her breath.

"_Whore_"

"I'm sorry child, you must speak up. What was that?" Diane snapped upon hearing her whisper, a smile fixed to her lips that Catherine supposed was meant to look kind or innocent, though it was devoid of any warmth and brimming with a sick type of maliciousness.

"I said you were a filthy low grade whore not fit breath near tiles you're removing." The Queen retorted without missing a beat as she turned around to face her, ordering all the servants out with a single gesture before adding with an empty smile of her own; "Shall I say it again or did you catch it this time?"

The older woman was shocked for a moment, not expecting such ferocity from a girl she'd really only seen as meek and shy before today. Perhaps the tales Henry told of his wife's temper were not as exaggerated as she first thought. "You certainly are a fiery little thing aren't you? Tell me are you always this hostile or is it just me" She smirked, receiving nothing but a pointed glare from Catherine. Annoyed by her lack of response Diane decided to teach the young consort a lesson for daring to interrupt her schedule. After a few moments of the little starring contest that ensued the brunette burst out in fits of laughter, laced with a vindictiveness that would've made the more intuitive of listeners cringe. "_Oh you poor child_, oh you really love him _don't you?"_ She asked almost in tears from her amusement, not giving the Queen a chance to answer before her tone turned cold and serious "It must sting to know it will be forever _unrequited_"

"Do not speak of things you do not know" Catherine barked back, saying the first thing that came to mind, though it turned out to be possibly the worth thing she could've said. As her opponents smile began to resemble that of a Cheshire Cat.

"_Oh but I do know Catherine" _she informed with a giddy excitement as she prepared demonstrate the cruelty she was capable of as she slowly made her way towards Catherine, getting so close that the Queen was forced to step back. "Henry has made me privy to your every dirty little secret." She drawled, smirking as Catherine's back hit the wall and she had the younger woman trapped like prey. "From that particular spot on your neck that drives you wild" she continued, her finger ghosting over the spot in question to prove she knew its whereabouts but daring to let her hand graze the Queens neck, nor touch her at all, not yet at least. "To that heart shaped freckle right under your well.._we both know where don't we?"_ She smirked, revelling in the way she was making the blonde uncomfortable, her hands coming up to rest on the wall either side of Catherine, preventing any chances of mistake. "Tell me darling does it bother you that every place he's ever touched you he's touched _me_ first?" She whispered, her breath hot against the teenagers skin as she whispered in her ear. "That every sweet nothing he whispers in your ear whilst he uses you to breed himself an heir has already been said to another?" Diane continued to taunt. "That every little thing he does to make you _scream_ he learnt from _me, _right down to the way he twirls his tongue" she added finally before twirling her tongue along the length of Catherine's earlobe, similarly to the way Henry had done in the past.

"Does it bother him that all the lessons he learned from you were taught to you by a hundred others? _That he's sharing you with half of France"_ she retorted, doing all she could to remain composed and unaffected. She knew what this was and she was determined not to back down, not to give in to her temper.

"Oh, now, now, _little_ Queen." The brunette tusked mockingly before leaning in even closer and whispering venomously; "are you really in any place to judge others on being shared? _Florentine whore"_

"_Get the hell a way from me you disease infested slut_" Catherine spat, pushing the taller woman away from her. There was much that she could take in stride when it came to taunting, but never that. Diane took about ten steps back but her sickly smirk remained intact.

"_uh-oh_ looks like I may have hit a nerve" she gushed in feign worry "I guess the rumours are true after all" the brunette added with a twisted giggle.

"Watch your tongue" the Queen roared "or I'll-"

"_You'll what?_" She interrupted in amusement. "Honestly Catherine, as much as you wish to deny it we both know Henry would sooner see you hanged then allow you to lay a hand on me" Diane announced confidently.

Catherine snarled at her bitter enemy but she couldn't help the doubt sinking into her bones that she may be right. "He wouldn't dare I am the Queen of France I am-"

"A foolish _child_ who's uncle bought her a title but you're Queen only in name little one and everyone knows it" her husbands mistress stated, as if it were the greatest truth the world had to offer, holding her hand up to stop any further challenge from her majesty as she walked over to her once more. "Just as they know _I_ am the True Queen of France" she snarled as she invaded Catherine's space "you're just an Italian girl and nothing more.._you'd do best to remember that, my sweet"_ she smirked before kissing the younger woman's lips firmly, revelling in the outrage on Catherine's face for just a moment before taking her leave.

Leaving the Medici girl with her fingers pressed to her lips in shock ad her words echoed through her mind.

'_You're a Queen only in name little one and everyone knows it'_


	2. Chapter 2

**_Authors Note: _**_Okay so I may or may not have forgotten about this story for a awhile but I've decided to come back to it, I'm just trying to decide now whether I'll keep it vaguely in line with what happened or change it so that we get rid of Diane earlier on in Catherine's life by having her and Henry make amends - so yeah let me know which you guys would prefer and I will go with that Xox _

"Diane told me the two of you spoke earlier" Henry informed as he entered his wife's chambers. In truth his mistress had only told him that the Queen had interrupted her renovations, the rest he'd learned via servants gossip and if half of what he'd heard was true he could only imagine what his Catherine was going through. The last year had been a struggle to say the least. Their whole life, their every conversation had become about producing an heir, all the happiness they once shared had turned to stress. He'd missed how they used to be, missed how she used to be before she was consumed by the need to fall pregnant and his inability to understand her sudden change had left him frustrated and angry.

He had turned back to Diane because that's what he had always done and part of him felt the need to punish Catherine for shutting him out. Henry had never set out to make her his official mistress but somewhere along the lines the divide between them had become so large it seemed almost irreparable. They used to know each other better than anyone, that used to be friends as well as lovers but much had changed, the more he sought solace in Diane the colder she became towards him and now they were like distant strangers. The further they grew apart the more influence he allowed Diane to have over his decisions to the point where he was now enduring her constant renovations as she tore up the floors of his chambers. But still his love for Catherine hadn't faded, though not for lack of effort, and he couldn't help but ask after her. "…are you alright?"

"You needn't pretend to care about my feelings, _my Lord." _She replied with barely contained venom as she removed her earrings and placed them on her vanity with more force than was strictly necessary. Still livid from her encounter with his _whore, _it was all she could do to keep from screaming at him. The Queen had gone over it in her mind a thousand times, growing angrier each time she thought about how that _diseased leech_ had _dared_ touch her and even more so, that she had allowed it. She'd _froze_ and now she was kicking herself for it._" _I've been made well aware of where you stand as far as this sorry excuse marriage is concerned."

"Diane doesn't speak for me" He replied instantly, hoping his wife would understand his unspoken meaning. _Understand that although he to was at fault and although the strain between them was almost visible, he held hope that perhaps their marriage could go back to being more than just a contract._

"Oh no?" Catherine scoffed, in no mood to deal with his games. She wouldn't have this be another night in which he'd expect her to pretend as if he wasn't hurting her everyday and everything was as it used to be so that they could make love freely before he returned to his mistresses bed. Though she'd been known to allow as much in the past because she loved him and because sometimes she too liked to forget what they'd become, he'd gone too far in allowing Diane to do whatever she pleased and he would feel the weight of it. "Her interlocked tiles speak _volumes_ to me"

"We can have some made for us as well if you wish?" Henry asked hopefully, truly the idea of an interlocked 'C' and 'H' was rather appealing to him, if she liked it they could have the tiles placed in her chambers maybe?

_As well_, she repeated to herself with clenched teeth, as if she were no more than an after thought. "And what would be the purpose of that?" The blonde asked coldly.

Almost cringing at the ice in her tone he fumbled to explain his reasoning. "Well if it would please you-"

"If you cared about what pleased me, Henry, there would be no talk of tiles at all because Diane would be back in Paris where she belongs" She retorted as she moved behind her changing screen to ready herself for bed.

Sighing heavily he wondered why things always had to be so difficult between them. With Diane there were never any arguments, just disagreements easily solved by gifts. With his wife things were never easy, not ever and after long days of listening to the droning tones of his advisors as he scrambled to figure out how to adequately perform his brothers duties, duties he was never entirely trained for as the second son, he was just too damn exhausted to try and figure out how best to handle her. "Catherine I-"

"_Don't bother." _His wife interrupted as she came out from behind the screen and got into bed. "We both know why she sent you here so lets just get it over with shall we"

Closing his eyes a moment he was ashamed that he couldn't deny the accusation. He had never meant for her to know his visits lately were by Diane's bidding. But with nothing left to say, he stripped down and got into bed beside her, trying to make up for his failures as a husband the only way he knew how. Though the Queen received no satisfaction from his efforts, far to consumed by the words of his mistress. By the knowledge that before the hour was up he would be hers once more.

There was a ball a few weeks later that Catherine had put together with numerous entertainments and a feast that would make the Gods jealous but the Queen was struggling to enjoy watching all her hard work paid off as Diane was doing all that she could to bring as much attention to herself as possible. Fawning all over the King as she beside him in Catherine's place whilst the Queen sat on the other end of the table talking with his advisors, doing all she could to gain influence so she could take back her rightful power from Diane. Though it was rather difficult to concentrate on what they were saying with the mistress laughing so loudly, her hands all over the young King.

When finally she had enough, the Queen accepted an offer to dance by a trusted friend of her husband. Richard had always done what he could to look out for Catherine and her interests, which she appreciated truly. He had become like a guardian of sorts in her eyes and was often there just when she needed to take her mind off her husband and that old crow.

It wasn't long before she felt more than saw, Henry's attention start to shift from his ever accommodating distraction to she and her chosen dance partner. She almost laughed out loud at how predictable he was. He'd been angry wither for days, barely sparing her a glance as he doted on Diane and now as soon as someone else showed her the slightest bit of attention he couldn't take his eyes off her. The brunette somehow didn't seem to notice, or perhaps just chose to ignore it, either way his lingering gaze had given her more confidence than she'd had in a long time.

Much later on, when the guests were starting to clear out and the entertainments were finally dying down, the older woman approached Catherine for the first time with an overly smug smirk. "Did you enjoy the show?" She asked casually, though it was clear enough to the Queen she meant the show she'd put on with Henry rather than any of the festivities.

"I thought it could use some work but as they say, you can't teach an _old dog_ new tricks" The blonde retorted with an easy smile of her own, never one to back down, especially not to some cheap whore. To Catherine it didn't matter what the mistress, or Henry even, might say, until she was dead and gone, she was the only Queen of France there was.

"Well aren't you witty?" Diane replied, her eyes narrowing and her smile tightening. "_Witty little barren Queen" Oh how she did so hate to be reminded of her age._ The barren comment stung a little but Catherine refused to let her opponent see blood "…I hope your snide remarks keep you warm tonight while your husband is in bed with me" She added cruelly, leaning in just enough to make Catherine uncomfortable.

"Enjoy your favour while it lasts, Diane." The Queen replied with a bored expression, silently wondering what Diane's obsession with invading her personal space was all about.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" She asked with a raised eyebrow, seeming far too cocky even in the way she stood.

"Just that I doubt my husband will have much patients for you once you start going through _the change,_ which for a woman of your _advanced_ age could be any day now I'm sure" the italian teen shrugged.

"Such a _funny girl" _She chuckled venomously before leaning in again, a habit Catherine was becoming more and more repulsed by each time she was forced to endure it, and whispering harshly _"_incase you hadn't noticed, the war between as is over. I won."

"Over?' Catherine asked casting a glance up at her husband, still seated at the table watching them both with wrapped attention then turning back with a subtle smirk "_Hardly,_ my dear." The Queen challenged, before walking away without waiting for a response.


End file.
